Hundreds of new students from the five regional offices attended the Orientation Day held simultaneously by Wawasan Open University - in Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Johor Bahru and Kuching.

Students attend orientation in Johor Bahru.

The freshmen were given an enthusiastic welcome by the WOU staff from the various regional offices, and treated to a welcome speech by the respective RO directors and student representatives.

During the day-long orientation, the new students were exposed to WOU’s Open Distance Learning (ODL) model, its rules and regulations, as well as its learning support and services including WawasanLearn, online assignment submission, Turnitin and the library facilities. 

Several students who excelled in their July 2011 semester to make it into the Dean’s List showed up to receive their certificates at the orientation.

Dr Nagarajan hands out the Dean’s List award at the main campus.

On hand to do the award presentation were Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye (Johor Bahru), School of Science and Technology Dean Prof Tham Choy Yoong (Ipoh), School of Education, Languages and Communications Dean Prof Rahil Mahyuddin (Kuala Lumpur), School of Business and Administration Dean Prof N V Narasimham (Kuching), and School of Foundation and Liberal Studies Acting Dean Dr S Nagarajan (main campus),

At the main campus, some 150 students turned up, many of them excited yet a bit apprehensive in entering this new phase of their life. They were welcomed by student representative Jonas Ooi Yong Shen, the Chairman of the Penang Student Committee, who shared briefly from own his learning experience at WOU.

Jonas delivers his welcome speech.

Jonas, who’s entering the 4^th semester of his technology degree programme, called on the freshmen to treasure their academic journey at WOU: “Share your knowledge and skills with your course mates. Plan ahead, become active learners and be punctual for tutorial classes. This is our golden opportunity to find new friends. This is not just a place of study – we can improve ourselves mentally as well as socially. Those who are interested to be members of the Student Committee are welcome to join us.”

The new students at the main campus then dutifully took the student pledge led by teacher Lim Shan Lue, who enrolled for the newly-introduced Master of Education programme.

Leow welcomes the students.

Many new students were also encouraged by the welcome speech of student representative Leow Voon Haw at the orientation in Ipoh. Leow, currently embarking on the 8th semester of his business degree programme at WOU, spoke on having self-discipline and never forgetting their source of motivation, remarking, “It could be love for knowledge, love for higher income. Hold onto it and use it to drive your study along the journey at WOU.”

New students at the Ipoh Regional Office.

All the orientation day activities of the five regional offices went on smoothly and the students are looking forward to their academic journey with WOU.